HUNDREDS OF Covid-19 test results have been lost in Ireland since the pandemic began.
Over the past year, a total of 490 test results were misplaced and could not be found, according to figures obtained by The Irish Times.
The Health Service Executive insists the losing of test results is an "extremely rare occurrence" and may happen if there is an error with a person's contact details or the test sample is not delivered to the laboratory.
They encourage anyone who has not received their test results within 48 hours to contact HSELive, and a full search for the test will take place, with a spokesperson telling The Irish Times "in the overwhelming majority of cases the result is located within 24 hours".
It is "extremely rare" for a test result to be lost, with just 0.014 per cent of results being lost out of more than 3.3 million tests completed over the past 12 months, a HSE spokesperson told the outlet.
A temporary Covid-19 test centre set up in Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland(Photo By Ray McManus/Sportsfile via Getty Images)There have been more than 215,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Ireland since the pandemic began, with 4,136 people having passed away with the virus.
The strict Level 5 measures are having an effect on the number of people in hospital with the virus at 737-- down from almost 1,300 at the peak-- but numbers remain too high to consider easing restrictions.
Yesterday, a further 679 cases and one further death was announced.
